Its Monday, July 13th 2015 and I'm painting the window sills of a former drag queen in Granite Falls, NC.
"Oh, I was a drag queen for 26 years.", Steve tells me. "The money was good. Its who I was." Along with a successful career as a backup singer for many well-known country singers, Steve would moonlight as a drag queen singer, often singing hits by Loretta Lynn. His fame as a Loretta Lynn impersonator grew until Loretta Lynn, upon seeing Steve on a VHS tape, demanded to meet him, which got him started on his country music career.
The past four years, however, have been hard for Steve. He is 51 years old and has returned home after many years of traveling. Based on complications of his former lifestyle and frequent drug use, he is home bound, unable to work due to a debilitating bone condition. Steve now spends his days watching old country music on television, trying to make ends meet, fixing up his old house he inherited from his father, and dealing with family members who want money. "They want money", he says "and I don't have it anymore."
This is a typical day serving at Carolina Cross Connection, a Christian outreach ministry for youth and adults. Participants are split into "CMGs" or Christian mission groups and are assigned work projects each day.
Steve's house is my assigned project for the day, and to be honest, we all loved him. We weren't intimidated by his past. We didn't seek to judge or coerce him. We did, however, paint his porch and cut his grass. We did listen, talk, laugh and share a day together. We played with his dog. We hope it encouraged him on his path to greater health.
"I'm not much of a Christian," Steve tells me near the end of the day, "but I do believe in the Lord. I know that much."
"That's what makes you a Christian," I tell him. "Believing in the Lord. Thats all you have to do."
He looks at me and silently nods.
In that moment of solidarity, I realized we, all people, we are all in this crazy life together, no better or worse than anyone else. We all need the Lord. None of us are good enough. We are all sinners. We all need each other to get through this life. Its only the love of Jesus that allows us to truly love others, see through their past, and love them without condition.
Jesus said you have to give your life away in order to find your life. When we bow down to take the form of a servant, we become the greatest.
I look forward to seeing Steve again one day, and I pray for his health. May we all love others without limit and without condition. It is the great hope of the world.
"Oh, I was a drag queen for 26 years.", Steve tells me. "The money was good. Its who I was." Along with a successful career as a backup singer for many well-known country singers, Steve would moonlight as a drag queen singer, often singing hits by Loretta Lynn. His fame as a Loretta Lynn impersonator grew until Loretta Lynn, upon seeing Steve on a VHS tape, demanded to meet him, which got him started on his country music career.
The past four years, however, have been hard for Steve. He is 51 years old and has returned home after many years of traveling. Based on complications of his former lifestyle and frequent drug use, he is home bound, unable to work due to a debilitating bone condition. Steve now spends his days watching old country music on television, trying to make ends meet, fixing up his old house he inherited from his father, and dealing with family members who want money. "They want money", he says "and I don't have it anymore."
This is a typical day serving at Carolina Cross Connection, a Christian outreach ministry for youth and adults. Participants are split into "CMGs" or Christian mission groups and are assigned work projects each day.
Steve's house is my assigned project for the day, and to be honest, we all loved him. We weren't intimidated by his past. We didn't seek to judge or coerce him. We did, however, paint his porch and cut his grass. We did listen, talk, laugh and share a day together. We played with his dog. We hope it encouraged him on his path to greater health.
"I'm not much of a Christian," Steve tells me near the end of the day, "but I do believe in the Lord. I know that much."
"That's what makes you a Christian," I tell him. "Believing in the Lord. Thats all you have to do."
He looks at me and silently nods.
In that moment of solidarity, I realized we, all people, we are all in this crazy life together, no better or worse than anyone else. We all need the Lord. None of us are good enough. We are all sinners. We all need each other to get through this life. Its only the love of Jesus that allows us to truly love others, see through their past, and love them without condition.
Jesus said you have to give your life away in order to find your life. When we bow down to take the form of a servant, we become the greatest.
I look forward to seeing Steve again one day, and I pray for his health. May we all love others without limit and without condition. It is the great hope of the world.
